MADRID, May 1 (Reuters) - Pep Guardiola's decision to stepdown as Barcelona coach at the end of the season will changenothing for Real Madrid, Guardiola's Real counterpart and bitterrival Jose Mourinho said on Tuesday.

In his first public comments since Guardiola announced onFriday he was taking a sabbatical, Mourinho, whose Real side areon the brink of taking Barca's La Liga crown, said the decisionshould be respected and even sent his adversary a hug.

"The Guardiola case is a personal decision," Mourinho told anews conference a day before Real play at Athletic Bilbao, whenvictory would wrap up their first domestic league title in fouryears with two games to play.

"It's his, he is the one who knows, he is the one who knowswhy, he is the one who has to comment on it, he is the one whohas to do what makes him happiest at any given time," the49-year-old former Inter Milan, Chelsea and Porto manager added.

"I have been a coach for 12 years and for me I will beannoyed in June when I don't have any matches as I will misstraining and playing, playing and training.

"But everyone is the way they are and you have to respectand accept that and hope that they really do find enjoymentbecause the most important thing in life is to enjoy it.

"If for him enjoying life means withdrawing from footballfor a while then so be it and I send him a hug."

TORRID AFFAIRS

It was an unusually conciliatory performance from thenormally combative Portuguese, who has a habit of getting underthe skin of the club where he was an assistant coach whenGuardiola was a player in the late 1990s.

Matches between the two sides since Mourinho arrived in 2010have often been torrid affairs, when the sumptuous football ondisplay has been overshadowed by brawling and accusations ofrefereeing bias and racist abuse.

Mourinho famously poked the man Barca have tapped to replaceGuardiola, his long-term assistant Tito Vilanova, in the eyeduring a melee at the start of this season.

At a later news conference, Guardiola thanked Mourinho forhis comments and said his decision to quit had nothing to dowith the Portuguese.

"The fatigue I feel after these years is not due toMourinho," the 41-year-old said.

"He is not even responsible for one percent. Mourinho doesnot tire you out, it tires you out winning so much."